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Even as the idea of a woman fasting for the long life of her husband sounds patriarchal, women across the country don’t refrain from performing fasts for their husbands’ well being in the 21st century.
If you are thinking only Odia women believe in such practices, you are completely wrong. There are several fasts such as Karva Chauth, Hartalika Teej, Mangla Gauri, Ashunya Shayan and Sawan Somwar that are performed by married women across the country for their husbands’ long life.
When it comes to Odisha, Savitri Brata is considered sacred even today. The Brata is observed on the day of Amavasya in the Odia month of Jyestha. On this day, women worship Savitri for saving their husbands from Yamraj, the Lord of Death.
Here goes the details about Savitri Brata rituals.
Legend
The Brata is named after Goddess Savitri who is regarded as one of the five Satis who fought with Lord Yama to bring back her husband Satyaban from Yama.
Savitri was the beautiful daughter of King Aswapati of Madra. She wanted to marry Satyaban, a prince in exile who was living in the forest with his blind father Dyumatsen despite learning that he was doomed to die within a year.
After marrying Satyaban, she left the place and started living with her husband and in-laws in a forest. With her devotion and commitment towards her in-laws and husband, she proved herself to be a best wife and daughter-in-law.
On the last day of the year, Savitri accompanied Satyaban when he left for work. While cutting wood, Satyaban felt dizzy and fell from a tree. Yama, the God of death, appeared before her to take away Satyaban’s soul.
Savitri pleaded with Yamaraj for her husband’s life and didn’t let him go. She followed her husband’s soul till the gates of Lord Yama’s abode. Yamaraj, moved by Savitri’s devotion and love for her husband, restored the life of her husband. Since then, married women in India have been fasting with utmost dedication to ensure their husbands’ good health and long life.
This Brata teaches women to respect their husbands. Apart from Odisha, Savitri Brata is observed by married women in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh but the ritual is popular in the name of Vrat Savitri there.
Puja rituals
Married Odia women take bath early in the morning and wear new colourful sarees, bright bangles and apply vermillion on their forehead. Fasting women are advised to listen to Savitri Brata Katha while sitting under a banyan tree or adorn one leaf of banyan in their hair as Goddess Savitri too saved her husband by observing a fast under the banyan tree.
Married women go to the temples to worship while some women perform their puja at home. Women wash ‘Silapua’ (the grinding stone) and decorate it with haldi, vermillion and new saree. The Brata will be incomplete if women don’t listen to Savitri Brata Katha.
Women offer nine types of flowers and nine types of fruits such as jackfruit, banana, mango, palm fruits, kendu, dates and pineapple among others to the Goddess. Women take the blessings of their husbands and elderly people and consume bhog after listening to Savitri Brata Katha.
Women have to take fruits through the entire day. Women who hold fast are advised not to wear black and white colour sarees and also bangles.
What women say...
Namrata Chadha, ex-member of State Women’s Commission and spokesperson of Women Empowerment and Gender Inequality, says, “For me, our traditions are our identities. The moment we stop following traditions and culture, it will invite moral degradation in society. That does not mean we should blindly follow the path of Savitri or what she did in the forest. I value the tradition but don’t like women asking their husbands for expensive sarees and imported fruits. As I am a north Indian, I observe Karwa Chauth, a festival similar to Savitri Puja. I started doing Savitri Brata almost 25 years back, thanks to my close alliance with some of my Odia friends. They suggested to me to do Savitri Brat being a resident of Odisha. When I did Savitri Brat for the first time, I had loads of fun and I enjoyed a lot.”
She continues: “Besides, my daughter got married into an Odia family. I usually take help of my friends when I have to send things on any occasion because there are so many festivals in Odisha across the year. At the end, I would say that people who believe in tradition and culture, are humble, organised and down-to-earth. I feel bad when wives force husbands to get her designer sarees when a simple cotton saree can do. My message for women who observe Savitri Brata would be – Let’s celebrate Savitri Puja in its true form in a traditional way to keep its authenticity with devotion.”
Noted singer Sushmita Das also keeps fast. She says, “Being an Odia woman, I love following my tradition and culture. Observing Savitri Brata is a must for me. No matter how successful I am as a singer, I never demean my traditions and culture. But it’s true that I don’t fast because I am having low blood pressure all the time. But I wear a new saree and do puja by consuming fruits and milk. Besides, I often have music programmes on that day. If I skip meals, it would be difficult for me to perform. You would be surprised to know that my in-laws never followed such traditions blindly.”
Anamika Tripathy, a doctor, said, “We should respect our tradition and culture but not by torturing ourselves. If you are okay with fast, as a doctor I can give go-ahead to you. But if you are not physically fit, I must advise you to refrain from the fast. I keep fast for my husband but I do eat frequently. After all, love and understanding matters to run a successful marriage.”
